SJSD - first time since New Years!
I had an inkling that I hadn't baked these in a while but never thought that it was as long as 8 months ago. SJSD variations? Yes, but the base product? No.
Most of my formula sheets have notes on what the dough feels like at stages: extensible, slack, tight, fluffy... Do I need to dust the couche more or dust it less post-shaping? But on this sheet I didn't have any guide, and as it had been a while, I didn't remember what to expect.
This mix saw a few more grams of water added than before, and the dough remained surprising slack, and at shaping time it was a bit tacky. Gotta record that.
This is the type of bake where I feel a little doubt - until 5 minutes into the action when I can clearly see the scores making their move to bloom. And then the doubt is once more quelled.
3x350g baguettes, 1x590 batard.
alan
crumb shot added...
Comments
of how beautiful those baguettes and batard look! How could you ever doubt yourself when you produce bread like that!
On many of them before I was feeling that the results were becoming repeatable, I would meekly peer with trepidation into the oven through the glass window at about the 8 minute mark and hope that I'd see a bloom and some oven spring. It was only after that phase when I became confident that the loaves would behave in predictable ways during the bake.
As this mix was both tackier and slacker than I recalled, and maybe it was considering those added grams of water, I was suspicious about how the bake would go. So yes, there was some doubt at the start of the bake. Again, under "normal" circumstances I feel that I don't have to worry very much about the outcome. It took a while to get there, anticipating repeatability, but is admittedly a nice place to be.
thanks, alan
David
to see the offspring of your creation come to fruition in the hands of others. It must feel good to see postings by TFLers who take what you initially posted (judge, I admit to the crime at least two or a dozen times), and display their versions of same.
Just spent a week in LA for my aunt's 100th BD, indeed!, but the fig tree mall was just too darn far to go for lunch!
thanks, alan
Yes, it's true. I think that having others derive pleasure from something you created is one of life's best rewards.
Mazel Tov to your aunt!
Fresno is a long drive from LA for lunch, even by California standards. Another time.
David
baggies or as well but you can't beat it for great white bread. This batch of SJSD looks especially good. Now you need some cioppino to go with it......
Happy baking
because there are all this other variations and offshoots, plus those marvelous pain au levains, etc. that I've toyed with. But I was flipping through my formula sheets and thinking about a Ken's Bakery Blonde mix but decided that the bulk fermentation time didn't meet my evening schedule. And then - I saw the sheet for the SJSD.
I've got the notations on the formula sheet now, highlighted in yellow thusly:
When made with my standard 75% hydration levain: if adding more water to bring hydration to 72% overall, the dough will be tacky and very extensible throughout the entire process, including shaping. Use flour on couche. Less so without the additional few grams of water which brings hydration down to 69% overall.
thanks, alan
The blistering is so cool! These must be extremely yummy :)
The crumb is great too.
What's your favourite way to serve these?
Ru
How do I love bread? Let me count the ways. Okay, here's a stater kit:
thanks, alan